Lubricator



` 2 Sheets-Sheet l. J. POWELL.

LUBRGATOR.

(No Medel.)

Patented Sept. 15

N. PETERS, whom-megane, wningw. uc.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Medel.)

J. POWELL.

LUBRIGATOB..

Patented Sept. l5

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Mrap? STATES JAMES POWELL, OF

CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFECATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,520, dated September 15, 18,35`

Application filed April 23, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, JAMES POWELL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of -Hamilton and-State of i Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to those devices which employ a spring-actuated piston for the purpose of insuring a forced feed of grease or other dense lubricant froma cup, cylinder, or similar reservoir; and the first part of my improvements consists in making the rod of such pistons tubular, and tting therein a plug or stem whose inner end acts as a cut-oft" that regulates or entirely stops the now of grease, as occasion may require.

The second part of my improvements consists in providing a lubricator with a pair of clutch-nuts, which are capable of engagement when it is desired to retract and lock the spring-piston preparatory to filling the cup or cylinder, as hereinafter more fully described.

The third part of my improvements comprises a novel construction of piston,which effectually prevents the escape of grease either at the sides of the cup or at the central opening, where the tube that surrounds the plug or valve-stem passes through said piston, a hereinafter more fully described.

The fourth part of myinvention consists in enlarging the discharge channel or passage immediately below the outlet proper of the cup, so as to produce a comparatively free delivery of the grease, as hereinafter more fully described.

The fifth part of' my invention consists in making the piston-rod of two tubular segments, and applying to the exposed end of the same a nut having an annular flange or bead that prevents said segments being compressed when said nut is screwed thereon, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings,l Figure l is an axial section of my improved grease-cup, taken at the line y y of Fig. 7, the controllingvalve being raised from off the dischargeopening. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device drawn to a reduced scale, the piston being removed from the cup or cylinder and drawn (No model.)

up close to the cap of the latter and locked in position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section showing the clutch-nuts coupled together. Fig. 4. is a plan of one of said nuts. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of the device, taken directly above the cap of the lubricator. Fig. 6 is an axial section of the cap and its integral tube, said section being taken at the linee e of Fig. 7, which latter illustration is a plan of said tube-and cap. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the piston detached from the lubricator. Fig. 9 is a plan of said piston. Fig. l0 is an elevation of the valvestem.

The cup or cylinder A has at its lower end a screw-threaded stem or shank, B, wherewith the attachment is made to a journalbearing or other device to be lubricated,while the upper end of said cup is threaded at a for the engagement of the cap O. Projecting from this cap C is a tube, D, open at each end and screw-threaded externally at E, to permit the engagement of theupper clutchnut, F, said nut having on its under side a pair of undercut flanges, G G', separated by openings or intervals g g', as more clearly seen in Fig. 4. Adapted to engage with these undercut anges G G are hooks H H', projecting from the top ofthe lower clutch-nut, I, the latter being capable of screwing onto the tubular segments J J of the piston K.

Furthermore, this nutI has an annular flange or bead, z', (seen in Fig. 3,) which flange grasps the inner sides of the segmental tubes J J and thereby prevents the compression of the upper ends of said tubes when said nut is screwed thereon.

Piston K has a follower, L, secured in place by screws M, a leather or other suitable pack- I ing-ring, N, being interposed between saidv v piston and follower. The follower has a central circular opening, Z, the packing a similar opening, a, and the piston a corresponding opening, k, as more clearly seen in Fig. 9, through which openings is passed the tube D, previously alluded to.

lnterposed between the cap C and piston.v

K is a spring, O, formed of a number of coils that reduce in diameter as they approach said piston.

The bottom of cup A dishes to the` centerand has an outlet, l?, which is comparatively ICO short and contracted with reference .o the disA charge-channel It, with which it communicates. Adapted to close this outlet P is a plugvalve, S, at the lower end of a rod or stem, T, the upper portion thereof being threaded at t to engage with the internal screw, d, of tube D.

U is a thumb-piece or handle for operating the valve-stem.

V V' are slots in the cap C, to permitV the passage of the tubular segments J J".

My lubricator is tilled and operated in the following manner: The piston K is firstdrawnv up quite close to the cap C, as seen in Fig. 2, and is locked in position by causing the hooks H H' of nut I to pass through the intervals g g', that separate the undercut flanges G G of the other nut F, and then turning the latter until said hooks engage with said auges, as seen in Fig. 3. This close approach of the piston tothe cap is permitted on account of the coils of the spring O fitting one within the other, because each coil is of a dierent diameter to its immediate neighbor. The c up or cylinder A is then filled with grease or other turgid lubricant, after which act the cap C is screwed onto said cup, the position of stem T t being such as to cause the plug S to close the outlet P as soon as said cap is applied. The upper nut, F, is now turned until the hooks H H of the lower nut, I, are brought in line with the intervals or breaks g g' ofthe flanges G G', at which moment the spring O exerts its force and drives the piston down until it rests on the surface of the grease contained in the cup. It is evident the grease is now subjected to the pressure of the spring, but can not escape from the cup A, because the outlet P is closed by the plug S. As soon, however, as the thumb-piece U is turned so as to cause the screw t to raise the stem T, and thereby lift the plug S, the grease at once escapes through the outlet P and discharge-channel R. By making this channel comparatively large in diameter with reference to the outlet, the friction incidental to the passage of a dense fluid through a long contracted passage is ob viated, and the result is a steady and uniform discharge of grease, the supply of ,which can be regulated at any time by properly manipulating the handle or other adjusting device U.

If the spring should break or become weakened byconstant use, or if the grease should be rendered very still in winter-time, the upper nut, F, can be screwed down against the lower nut, I, and then by'occasionally turning said upper nut the piston will be depressed and the lubricant ejected, as desired. By simply tightening the screws M the compressible packing N will be expanded laterally and caused to fit very snugly against the interior of the cup and the exterior of the tube D. The method of applying the tube D to the cap C is immaterial, provided said tube is preserved in a proper position with reference to the other members of the grease-cup. As seen in Fig. 5, that portion of the tube between the slots V V may have solder applied thereto for the purpose of making a rigid connection with the cap; or said tube and cap may be cast together, so as to be integral therewith.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a grease-cup, of a spring-actuated piston for ejecting the lubricant and a cut-oil` for regulating the escape of the same, said cut-oil` being located within the tubular rod that carries said piston, substantially as described.

A2. The combination, in a grease-cup, of a spring-actuated pistou for expelling the lubricant, a tube projecting from the cap of the reservoir, and a cut-oil' traversing said tube, the latter being threaded externally'to receive anut, wherewith pressure is brought to bear against the hollow rod that carries said piston, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a greasecupof a spring-actuated piston for expelling' the lubricant, a tube projecting from the` cap `of the reservoir, and a cut-otf traversing saidv tube, the latter being threaded externally to receive a clutch-nut, which is adapted .to engage with a clutch-nut applied to the hollow or divided rod that carries said piston, substantially as herein described. l

4. The combination, ina grease-cup, of the cut-off S, closing against a contracted outlet,

lP, in the bottom of said cup, which outlet communicates with a dischargechannel, R, of relatively greater capacity, said cut-o being operated by a rod or stem traversing the piston that ejects the grease, substantially as herein described.

5. In combination with a greasecup having a piston, K, and hollow rod J J', traversed by a tube, D, which latter projects from the cap of the reservoir in the manner described, the expansible packing N, follower L, and clamping device M, said packing and follower being pierced, respectively, atn and Z, to permit the passage of said tube, as herein explained. V

i 6. An improved lubricator -or grease-cup consisting ofthe reservoir A,having the screwthread a, contracted outlet P, and enlarged discharge-channel R, the cap C, having slots V V', the tube D, screw-threaded internally IOO IIO

at d and externally at E, the clutch-nut` F,

having undercut flanges G G', separated by in-` tervals g g', the clutch-nut I, having hooks H H', the tubular segments -J J', carrying the ejecting-piston M, the spring O, interposed between said piston and cap C, and the cutoff S T, located within the tube D and provided with a screw, t, engaging with the screw d of said tube, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES POWELL.

W'itu esses:

J AMES H. LAYMAN, RANKIN D. J oNEs. 

